Dixie Dregs' Glorious 40th Anniversary Tour Opens in Clearwater • MUSICFESTNEWS

Dixie Dregs’ Glorious 40th Anniversary Tour Opens in Clearwater

Concert photographs by kind permission of Jeff Moellering / snapzalot.com

40 years and a bit ago, the band formerly known as Dixie Grit and Rock Ensemble II, having settled on Dixie Dregs, recorded Free Fall as newly signed artists for Capricorn. Much has happened since then, with dozens of lineup changes, but the concept and the music have remained constant: brilliant progressive rock superbly performed.

Allen Sloan, MD, the violinist on Free Fall and most of the band’s studio recordings, announced last year there would be a reunion tour labeled Dawn of the Dregs with the original Free Fall lineup. That blossomed into a 36-date run which began February 28th and which ends April 28th in Atlanta.

Dixie Dregs are: Steve Morse, guitars; Allen Sloan, violin; Steve Davidowski, keyboards; Andy West, bass; and Rod Morgenstein. Morse and Morgenstein have been the two constants since 1973.

We were fortunate to be able to catch the very first night of this glorious reunion at The Capitol Theater in Clearwater FL. The gorgeous small theater was the perfect showcase for the tour’s first show.

The band filed out to great applause and launched immediately into “Divided We Stand” from 1981’s Unsung Heroes, and it was ON! Dixie Dregs play the tightest of tight prog rock. Throughout the two sets, they played six of the eleven tracks from Free Fall and a dozen from the other five albums the band recorded from 1978 to 1982.

They played “Free Fall” and “Holiday” (also from Free Fall) next, and then “Assembly Line” (Industry Standard 1982). Each song was tightly scripted to show off the prowess of each member of the band, with the focus on Morse and his stunning guitar techniques. “Assembly Line” gave West a chance to shine on bass and Morgenstein on drums.

At this point, West welcomed us and told us how glad they all were to have the opportunity to be bringing this music to us. Meanwhile, Morse looked every bit the rock star he deserves to be, his silky blond hair falling down on his sleeveless shirt. And there were grins and smiles everywhere — all across the stage and everywhere in the audience.

It is also worth noting that there were other bands in the ’70s featuring a violin player, notably The Mahavishnu Orchestra, but Dixie Dregs, by their signing to Capricorn and embracing of a variety of styles including country hoedown tunes, really set them apart then and still does 40 years later. In that role, Sloan was simply brilliant.

After “Twiggs Approved,” the only tune on the setlist from Dregs of the Earth (1980), West gave a shoutout to the University of Miami, where the Rock Ensemble II included Morse, West and Sloan. Next up were two tracks from What If (1978), “Take It Off the Top,” a ballad, and then the title track. They really tore it up on a rollicking country rocker from Free Fall, “Moe Down” (hey, that’d be a great name for a festival). They polished off the first set with “Odyssey,” another What If ballad.

During set break, we had a lively discussion in the lobby with Jeff Moellering and Matt Hillman, two fine photographers and great music fans. Moellering is a sometime contributor to MFN; Hillman is on staff. I jumped in without thinking it through (all too common, I’m afraid), pointing out that the performance was brilliant but perhaps a bit too antiseptic. I was thinking about the previous evening’s Dead and Company show in Orlando, where jam was the name of the game.

These songs, all written by Steve Morse, are so perfectly and tightly constructed to utilize every ounce of talent from the quintet. This is the nature of progressive rock, extremely complex pieces which demand the utmost from the players. I was reminded that much of Frank Zappa’s later rock output required just such precision. So too were recent Jethro Tull shows under the direction of Ian Anderson.

Bob Anthony later chimed in on Facebook: “Every note and beat of every Dregs song was written out by Morse. They don’t ‘jam.’ But they are brilliant, and a very welcome return. Even necessary.”

Moellering commented: “The ‘jamming is within the structure of the song itself, but it would be cool to see an improv session with them.”

Both gentlemen were 100% correct, and I’ll step back from my comment, thank you.

As the house lights went down for the beginning of set two, only Allen Sloan walked out with his violin and a huge grin. He had a beautiful solo, after which he was joined by West, Morse, and Davidowski — no Morgenstein. Morse had in hand his acoustic guitar (which was reportedly stolen later in the tour in Washington DC), and the quartet offered up a wonderful “Go for Baroque.” At subsequent shows on the tour, they also played “Northern Lights” with the same configuration. This was the first night of the tour, and it’s likely they just hadn’t got all the kinks out after not performing as a quintet for 40 years!

Morgenstein took his place at kit, and off they roared into “Country House Shuffle,” self-explanatory. This was the first of three songs from the 1979 release Night of the Living Dregs. There had been plenty of great unison and harmony playing throughout the evening, but none more evident than here. Also, Davidowski, magic on keyboards all night, really lit this one up on electric piano.

West then noted that they were about to play live — for the first time ever, on the first night of the tour — “Day 444,” which like “Go for Baroque,” was from Unsung Heroes. Let’s just say the audience was appreciative. Then they got the funkiest they’d been all evening with, appropriately, “Refried Funky Chicken,” sparks flying from Morse’s guitar, West romping on bass.

Davidowski made his synth sound like a flute on “Leprechaun Promenade,” and they followed that with “Wages of Weirdness.” Then it was time to romp and stomp. “The Bash” (Night of the Living Dregs) must apparently be short for “Wabash Cannonball,” because this one hurtled down the tracks at 90 miles an hour. Morse was just incredible, again. You could tell this was the first night of the tour, as Sloan and Davidowski laughed at a missed cue from Morse.

Early in the first set, somebody hollered out for “Cruise Control,” the band’s signature tune. They saved it for last (well, almost), and the crowd erupted as the opening notes were recognized. Morse was clearly in control, though, as everybody got a chance to stand out, including a nifty drum solo from Morgenstein with a great computer track backing. Despite the fact that Morgenstein was all but hidden behind his kit, you couldn’t miss his huge grin all night long. They reprised the theme out of the solo and closed down the masterful second set.

All too often, I attend shows where the band throws down a huge performance, and at the end people barely make any noise, as if they expect and deserve an encore. The tune Dixie Dregs chose, “Bloodsucking Leeches,” would NOT apply to the crowd at The Cap, who ROARED for one more song from this amazing collective.

Next time, I’m keeping my mouth shut. (Yeah, I know: good luck with that.)

[ONE: Divided We Stand, Free Fall, Holiday, Assembly Line, Twiggs Approved, Take It Of the Top, What If, Moe Down, Odyssey; TWO: Violin Solo, Go for Baroque, Country House Shuffle, Day 444, Refried Funky Chicken, Leprechaun Promenade, Wages of Weirdness, The Bash, Cruise Control > Drum Solo > Cruise Control; E: Bloodsucking Leeches]

Dawn of the Dregs

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